Multiform amusement-wheel



T. VAN KANNEL.

MULTIFORM AMUSEMENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-13.1919.

1,371,528. Patented Mar. 15,1921. [5 91 1.

- 3 SHEETS-QHEET 1.

T. VAN KANNEL.

MULTIFORM AMUSEMENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION man 020.13, 19x9.

1,371,528. Patenwi} Mar. 15, 1921.

a 1i ii Few M??? g um H I l f I H h I 1m: e I l I 11 I E W'm W I Y yzw/Aza am z M,

T. VAN KANNEL.

MULTIFORM AMUSEMENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED 020.12.,1919.

I 1,371,528. PatentedMar.1-5,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES THEOPHILUS VAN KAN NEL, NEW YORK, N. Y.

I MULTIFOBM AMUSEMENT-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed December 13, 1919. Serial No. 544,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL, a citizen of the- United States, re-

siding at 400 West 160 street, New York,

county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiform Amusement- "lVheels, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

i This amusement wheel is of that class known as circular rides for places of amusement, such as parks, fairs and carnivals.

Its essential feature is the rotation of an annular central hub around the shell or casing of a central passageway, and a series of supplementary sectional platforms or carriers joinedto the central hub to project radially therefrom and turn therewith about the casing. i

I The central passageway is provided with a staircase and tunnel to the open space outside the structure and one tunnel and staircase may be provided for use as an entrance and another as an exit for patrons of the ride.

For brevity, the supplemental platforms are called carriers herein, and these carriers are jointed to the central hub by a hinge or trunnion-connection,so as to permit a vertical or oscillating motion of the carriers at their outer ends where they rest by rollers upon circular tracks. j a

One of these tracks is level, and rollers moving upon such track merely support the attached carrier in a horizontal rotating position. Another track near the level track has an undulating or rising-and-falling surface, and the rollers moving upon such track move the free end of the carrier up and down, giving such carrier an agreeable undulating or tipping motion in addition to thecircular motion around the central passageway. Y j

The means bywhich' the carrier is attached to the hub determines whether it is capable of mere tipping up and down, in which case the carrier is attached to the hub by hingesgor capable of a" rocking or oscillating motion, in which case the carrier is jointed to the hub by a single trunnion, and whatevcris supported upon the carrier is, of course,subjected to the same tipping or rocking motion as the carrier itself.

On a number of these carriers are placed rotating disks, and some are provided with seats for riders, while others are provided with dummy horses or other animals which rotate within an imitation circus ring, and others have tubs, resting on casters and provided with seats for riders, and other similar devices may be used while the entire disk swings around the casing with its support- 1ng carrier.

It will be observed that while the disk rotates upon its supporting carrier it may also have an undulating motion, as the free end of the carrier moves up and down on the undulating track. The undulating motion of the carrier may be changed to a horizontal motion, or the reverse, while the disk is rotating, by moving the supporting roller of such carrier to bear upon either the level or the undulating track, thus giving the riders a great variety of experiences in the alternate acceleration and retarding of their rotary motion, and in the alternate undulating and level or horizontal movement.

Another carrier may be provided with a disk forming a circular or other shape of platform which does not revolve, but is given two kinds of motions, one caused by a vertical vibration and another by oscillations of the carrier upon a trunnion connecting the inner end of the carrier with the central hub.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing, in which Figurel is a plan of the entire apparatus with the roof over the central opening removed; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the revolving element and casing taken on line 2--2 in e Fig. 1, the rotating disk and its support not being in section; Fig. 3 is a section of the casing and the central passageway with the adjacent parts; Fig. 4 is a section of the casing and adjacent parts on line 44 in Fig. 7 Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the carriers with disk having annular settee thereon, as shown at C in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the disk shown at D in Fig. 1; Fig. 6a is a section of the disk provided with tubs; Fig. 7 is a plan of all the carriers inverted showing the mechanism upon their under sides; Fig. 8 is an end view of the driving mechanism viewed in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is an edge view of one of the carriers carrying the miniature circus-ring, the edge of the diskbeing broken away at the guide m; Fig. 9a shows an adjustable guide-post for the connecting-rod a; and Fig. 10 is a plan of the mechanism for operating the circus horses. V 7

W designates thecentralwell or passage way surrounded by a casing band surmounted by a canopy or pagoda A which is stationary in the center of the apparatus.

The casing contains the staircases 0 and c" communicating with the .platformss ands on a level with the ring A which forms the central-hub. One or. more tunnels I. extend from the well W outside of the wall H which surrounds the carriers. 7

I Fig. 3 shows the hub A in section with rollers or w-heelse supporting its weight upon a track 6- projected from'the -casing b, and six such wheels are shown on the under side ofithe-ghubinnF-ig. 7;- and intermediate to such wheels are shown rollers m bean ing uponpthe outer side out the casing. to center thehub, as} shown in Fig. 4. c

The edged'ot the centralhub is shown of hexagonal form, and six carriers B, C, 1

D,'E,F andGrar-e'jointed to the six straight edges of the hub by, means which permit the carriers to be tipped or oscillated while in motion. i I

A circular wall H incloses= the rotating elements forming a pit inthe center of which the casing 12' is located, and thecarriers project from-the annular hub nearly to. the inner side ofsuch wall. K I

Contiguous tracks are'located in the pit I shown within the wall W, the track f havingan 'undulating surface and the track f a fiat horizontal surface.

Fig. 7 shows wheels upon the carriers E and G arranged upon the outer ends of the carriers. to bear upon the undulating track f', and wheels 9 are shown upon the carrier F arranged. a little nearer the hub to bear upon the flat track f. -Fig. 7 is diagrammatic showing the application of various features to different carriers, but

' omitting'many constructive parts.

In Fig. 1 the carrier B is. shown hinged to the edge of the'hub'by joint-bars 2' which permit the outer end of the carrier to be tipped up.- and: down by the undulations of the track 7? operating. upon the wheel g shown on the carrier E. in Fig. 7.

The carrier G is shown in Fig. 7 fun nished at the inner end with: auball-joint trunnion h which, as shown at the right hand sideofi Fig- 2,-is mounted in a bear may be oscillated and also tipped. I A carrier connected to the. hub by such a trunnion must be provided with two wheels at its outer endyas-shownat g on the carrier G in Fig. 7, acting as, atripod to hold it in-a workingv position.

The several carriersare coupled; together by links having a loosely fitting joint to the carriers, thus permitting them to tip or oscillate while holding them in radial relation to the hub A. All the carriers "and connected arts may be propelled by gearing or c ain and sprocket-wheelsoperating upon the hub or upon one of the carriers which moves the others by connection thereto.

In Fig. 7 an electric motor is shown upon the under side of the carrier B connected by gearing tov supporting wheels k arranged torest upon the level or upon the undulating' track. The electric gearing drives these wheels and. thus turns all'the carriers and their casing. I Y It will be observed that any carriers having a hinge-joint '2', as-shown onlthe carrier B in Fig. 1, may betipped up'and down by a single wh'eelunder its-outer end, but cannot be oscillated like those furnished with the-trunnionfh shown in the inner ends of; thecarriers' E in Fig. 1. and G in Fig. 7.

The motionof any carrier may be changed from atipping to alevel'motion by causing its supporting wheels to restupon the undulating or level track.. I 1. v

. Means to. shift the wheel g: is' shown upon: the carrier E; in F ig. :7 having. connections to an;- operating lever n actuated by a cam upon the lower end of a hand-operated shaft 0*" shown; in-Figs. and 7; a

The. Wheelg shift ableby the lever 11.; is shownin Fig.7 7 moved outwardly to bear hub. around the central I upon the'undulating track; but when the'cam upon the undulating track, causes the carrier to tipup and down, but when moved inwardly over; the level track produces a smooth horizontal motion ofithe carrier.

7 Such. undulating track-is indicated. by the line in Fig. 8, the wall H being omitted from this figure to expose this mechanism, and the level track f is indicated behind the undulating track-in. dOtted lines.

. A great diversity; of amusement devices may be mounted upon the carriers and open.

ated as desired, rotatable disks beingshown upon, three of the carriers. in Fig. 1, which disksnecessarily share; any tipping movement to which such carrier is subjected.

The periphery of the disks is shown proximate t'othe inner si deof the wallH, and the disk is convenientlyrotated; by. a friction roller 12 mounted upon a lever 17 to bethe carrier to its upper side, by turning which the cam may move the lever and draw the roller out of contact with the wall, as shown on the carrier E.

The direction of rotation is indicated by arrows in Fig. 1 and tends to crowd the roller 19 against the wall and thus rotate the disk. By such, means any disk may be stopped and started independently of the others. 1

The disk C on the carrier C is shown provided with a circular settee or circle of seats 0 and a gate 0 at the periphery for access to the seats.

The disk'D on the carrier D is shown provided merely with a series of settees or chairs d and is surrounded by a railing d with a gate 05 for access to the same.

The disk E upon the carrier E is shown provided with tubs e in which riders may be seated, and which are provided with casters to move freely in any direction, as the carrier is tipped and oscillated.

A guard-rail E is provided to restrain the tubs and is formed with'a gate 6 to prevent the tubs from escaping and for access to its interior. By giving the disk E both a tipping and oscillating motion it causes the tubs to move in every direction.

The disk supporting the tubs is shown provided in Fig. 1, like the other disks, with the roll ;0 and lever p to produce the rotation of the disk if desired but the centrifugal force generated by such a rotation would hold the tubs against the guard-rail E and to prevent this the floor e of the disk is sloped downward adjacent to the guard-rail so that the tubs would at times be drawn from the guard-rail by gravity and moved toward the center. (See Fig. 6a). 7

At the time that the tub is carried by the rotation of the disk to the point nearest to the hub the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the carrier is greatly reduced, and only the centrifugal force of the diskitself is effective. Thus, the two centrifugal forces'vary in relation to one another, permitting free movement of the tub in all parts of the disk. 7 g

The disk Gupon the carrier G is fitted up as a miniature circus, by mounting horses 9 thereon for riding, and means is shown by which each horse is moved in a natural running manner. This is done by extendin aconnecting-rod a from a crank a throug a guide as to support the horses body, as shown in Fig. 9.

fThe horses are preferably mounted in pairs so that the horses in each pair may be connected to mechanism which gives them opposite movements, one rising when the other falls, and one leaping forward when the other moves backward, thus balancing each other as to weight and inertia.

Four of the horses bodies are shown in section at g in Fig. 9, such bodies being in their extreme opposite positions at the left side of, the figure, and on the same level at the right-hand side of the figure; and Fig. 10 which shows a part of the disk inverted, exhibits the gearing for one pair of the horses.

The crank-shaft, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, is mounted in roller-frames a in which a rolling-wheel w is journaled and connected to the crank-shaft by gears m The gear ing is employed to reverse the motion imparted to the crank-shaft by the wheel 00, which in its forward rotation would impart a backward leaping .motion to the horses instead of a forward leaping motion. The galloping speed may be varied by changing the proportions of the gears. In Fig. 9a I have shown means for raising and lowering the guide :0 against which the connecting-rod a bears as the horses body is moved forward and backward by the crank. Such vertical adjustment alters the proportions of the connecting-rod which extend above and below the horses are moved and the angle to which they are tipped. The means for such adjustment is shown upon a large scale in Fig. 9a, the column .2 which supports the guide being made tubular and extended to the disk G, and the guide having a hollow post 2 which is threaded inside of the column so that it can be raised or lowered by turning therein.

The column is shown made in halves with flanges connected by bolts 2 which would be tightened to hold the post rigidly when properly adjusted, and loosened when it is desired to turn the post for effecting a different adjustment.

The disk G is mounted by a suitable bearing to rotate above a circular floor shown at 2 upon the carrier G in Fig. 9.

The roller-frame is hinged at u to the disk G, and the weight of the horse s upon the rods a presses the wheel at upon the floor a as the disk rotates, thus rotating the crank and moving'the horses backwardand forward and up and down simultaneously,

' il heaapparatus lSZi built i'uponsfsuch-varscale or? bause the occupants: tor withdraw. 11-" the hub'worvcasing inithe cent.

5 whiolr areic ram 0131011 t The motion of all the rotating disks is preferably arranged, as indicated by the arrows in carrier C in Fig. 1, sothat its outer periphery moves in the same direction ''as the periphery or outer end ofthe carrier.

The rider, at the coincidence of thesetwo motions thus moves very swiftly, but when the same rlder is carried along the inner pe- ;is so radual that it does not cause an unb pleasant or dangerous shock, 1 One or more of the carriers may be operated Without any revolving d1sk,butprovided with a large platform covered by an artistic roof or awning, so that those who wish'a quiet ride may enter on this carrier and sit in ordinary chairs and swing around the central passageway while watching the others ride.

In some cases this carrier may be arranged so that it' can, atpleasure," receive the tipping motion'produced'by the undulating track. a

To keep an account of the duration ofthe ride -which is allotted to' the patrons, a counting mechanism is placed over each carrier, one being shown at g in Fig. 5 hav ing a lever 3 operated by acam surface 3 upon the carrier at each revolution (if-the disk,- so that when a eertaiin numher ofiriem, olutions'list-indicated on theicountenaanrbth" full member of: 5fliolll'ldgllas 13Qlil ridden, a bell wouldvbe irungnautomatically Fwvhichfiadl; visesi the attendant-to ollctra 'secon 'far,

:11: Railings; 1; are 'slr'wnlf nitreachi flat: side of thewhub rt'oi protectathe patrons IEIOIi'l'iaG 'cidentf "'nrfientermg or lle%LV1I1g-ith&5 various disks. 7

that ':p at'rons who-(re a ch thrlevelzofb thehnb can'rmovetall laronnd'i' theizasings a-n'c upohizany of::the. icarriers;-that thei ay I about a the patrons are protected by the'irailirigs: v i. pon th'eshub, withiaiigopeningsafih forithe assage: ofthe'patronsztorieacls. 'sk. oTlrerripen l enter choose 1;: :a'11di'3'irr=- thus r movin o ings'f .zifiare wproteeted by uitableizgate's re are) aeces is alfofrdedst' r thesappalt; ratus'w l'nsteadzofiartunneliand :stalrcasezfor access-1 tofra centralrwellgz "a :stationai; :plat? It is immaterial 'ahow form'szin thegcentemrofrthe hu'bimaay be .ros

yidedzsarfd naccess Eurnishedathereto b a bindgefexteri'dmgihv i'zthe;- .moifmgjricarriers at a suitable height .toicleamthe;passageway losed; s'i sciorrzas'thecdisk i "put "and passengers, and furnished with stairs atits opposite ends, as required. 7 Economyin the power required 'to operate this amusement apparatus may be effected by locating the; elevations upon the undulating track so that one of the carriers is raised at the same time that another one is lowered; this balances the force required to elevate one carrier by the force exerted in the descent or falling of another carrier. As the carriers are all moved jointlythey may be said to form a horizontal rotatable platform, which expression I'have used in the claims'forvconvenience. 1

I have entitled this apparatus a 'multia form amusement wheel,.-as thevariousindependently movable carriers :rotate like the radial parts. of a wheel and are provided with diversified means for carrying the passengers. I I 7 Having thus set forth the nature of the invention whatis claimed hereinis:

e 1. In an amusement wheel, the combination, with'a rotatable central hub, of a'plu- 'rality' of carriers extended therefrom, one or more of saidcarriers having a pivot thereon, audisk mounted to turn upon the said pivot, with means for carrying passengers, means for rotating the disk upon its pivot, and means for rotating the -carriers:con' jointly.

2. In an amusement wheel, the eombinao tion, with sil-iii otataibleicentral hub, of carriers eitenderlethereftomactt ele'asti enezcarriei hayih ma:getatable di'skithreong? i1 artisan oimdsth e' egtiriersgl'imeiinsflfor rotating? therearrigrs'i coirj trintlya within'ithe wall, andriztifirictioneiwheeliarranged t trow d betweem thegisa idsiivall ijhifllltl lf n lithe tion; witlra'agcentnalZerrtfanceewellr avingsfa cyh vjdilcztla sheikaironndztheiisame;'o a ceii tra l annular 11- b? imozvable rbhut Esuchfishell with separate ,zcariiierss-p' efctegl' therefrom, arrotatablje rd'isks'uponi any'sofsth saidfi' riers attnnnebandmtaircals toraoce s 2; carriers, a guard-railiil carouild'rsti n ,ori t'he earners; a

h ts openannular central hub, a plurality of carriers having movable connections therewith as set forth, a disk rotatable upon one of the carriers, a circular undulating track beneath the outer end of said carrier, rollers upon the said carrier bearing upon the said track and operating to oscillate and tip the said disk during its movement around the casing, by the tipping and oscillation of its supporting carrier.

6. An amusement wheel provided with an annular central hub, a plurality of carriers having movable connections therewith as set forth, disks rotatable upon a plurality of the carriers and provided with various amusement devices, a circular undulating track beneath the outer end of the carriers, and rollers upon any of the said carriers bearing upon the said track and operating to oscillate or tip the said carriers.

7. An amusement wheel provided with an annular central hub, a plurality of carriers having movable connections therewith as set forth, a circular undulating track beneath the outer ends of the carriers, rollers upon any of the said carriers bearing upon said track and operating to oscillate or tip the said carrier or carriers, and connections between the said carriers to maintain the floor spacing and radial relations of the said carriers.

8. An amusement wheel having a rotatable central hub with independent carriers extended therefrom, a circular floor upon one of the carriers, a disk rotatable upon the carrier above the said floor, a friction-wheel carried by the disk and bearing upon the said floor, opposed cranks driven by the friction-wheel, crank-rods extended upward through the disk with horses affixed to the upper ends of the rods, and guides upon the disk for directing the rods to produce a galloping motion of the horses.

9. An amusement wheel having a rotatable central hub with independent carriers extended therefrom, a circular floor upon one of the carriers, a disk rotatable upon the said floor, a friction-wheel carried by the said disk and bearing upon the said floor, opposed cranks driven by the friction-wheel, vertical rods extended upward through the disk with horses aflixed to the upper ends of the rod, guides upon the disk for directing the rod to produce the galloping motion of the horses, and means for vertically adjusting the guides of the vertical rod in relation to the crank-shaft.

10. An amusement wheel having a rotatable central hub with independent carriers extended therefrom, a rotatable disk upon at least one of the said carriers, means for rotating and tipping the disk, a guard-wheel upon the periphery of the disk with a gate for access to the disk, one or more tubs containing seats and having casters to move freely within the said guard-rail whereby the tubs when thrown toward the guard-rail by centrifugal force are returned to the middle of the disk by the force of gravity.

11. An amusement wheel having a rotatable central hub with independent carriers extended therefrom certain of said carriers having rotatable disks thereon, means for rotating the disks upon the carriers, guardrails around the peripheries of the disk with openings in each, and gates fitted to such openings to permit passage to and from the disks and the central hub.

12. An amusement wheel having a rotatable central hub with independent carriers extended therefrom, certain of said carriers having rotatable disks thereon, means for rotating the disks upon the carriers, and at least one of the said disks having a counter mounted thereon and actuated by a cam upon the carrier at each rotation of the disk, to indicate the completion of the ride.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL. 

